| mineralocorticoids | A group of hormones (the most important being aldosterone) that regulate the balance of water and electrolytes (ions such as sodium and potassium) in the body. The mineralocorticoid hormones act on the kidney (and specifically on the tubules of the kidney). (12 Dec 1998) |
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| mineralocorticoids, synthetic | Synthetic steroids that mimic the activity of the mineralocorticoids obtained from the adrenal cortex, but differ in structure from the naturally occurring mineralocorticoids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| mineralogist | 1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals. 2. <zoology> A carrier shell (Phorus). Origin: Cf. F. Mineralogiste. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mineralotropic | Concerning the action of or relating to mineralocorticoids. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minerals | Native, inorganic or fossilised organic substances having a definite chemical composition and formed by inorganic reactions. They may occur as individual crystals or may be disseminated in some other mineral or rock. (12 Dec 1998) |
| minerva | The goddess of wisdom, of war, of the arts and sciences, of poetry, and of spinning and weaving; identified with the Grecian Pallas Athene. Origin: L. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Minerva jacket | A plaster of Paris body cast incorporating the head and trunk, usually for fracture of the cervical spine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minette | The smallest of regular sizes of portrait photographs. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| minge | <zoology> A small biting fly; a midge. Origin: Prob. Corrupt. Fr. Midge. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mingle | 1. To mix; intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product; to confuse; to confound. "There was. Fire mingled with the hail." (Ex. Ix. 24) 2. To associate or unite in society or by ties of relationship; to cause or allow to intermarry; to intermarry. "The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands." (Ezra ix. 2) 3. To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate. "A mingled, imperfect virtue." (Rogers) 4. To put together; to join. 5. To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of. "[He] proceeded to mingle another draught." (Hawthorne) Origin: From OE. Mengen, AS. Mengan; akin to D. & G. Mengen, Icel. Menga, also to E. Among, and possibly to mix. Cf. Among, Mongrel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mini | A moderate-sized computer that can serve many users in a department, or one dedicated to a complex computational function such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; smaller and slower than a mainframe, more complex and powerful than a personal computer. Origin: It. Miniatura, decoration of manuscripts, fr. L. Minium, red lead (05 Mar 2000) |
| miniature end plate potential | <physiology> Small fluctuations (typically 0.5 mV) in the resting potential of postsynaptic cells. They are the same shape as, but much smaller than, the end plate potentials caused by stimulation of the presynaptic cell. Miniature end plate potentials are considered as evidence for the quantal release of neurotransmitters at chemical synapses, a single miniature end plate potential resulting from the release of the contents of a single synaptic vesicle. (12 Jan 1998) |
| miniature scarlet fever | A reaction consisting of fever, nausea, vomiting, and a transient scarlatiniform rash that appears in a susceptible person when injected with the toxin of Streptococcus pyogenes. Origin: L. Minio, pp. Atus, to colour with minium, red-lead (05 Mar 2000) |
| miniature stomach | at different points along the dogs' digestive tracts, the russian physiologist ivan petrovich pavlov (1848-1936) surgically created pockets ( pavlov pouches ) from which he could obtain secretions, the aim being to study the physiology of the digestive tract. He did so from the salivary glands down to the stomach, liver and pancreas with considerable success and in 1904 (the 4th year it was awarded) he received the nobel prise for his work on the physiology of digestion, through which knowledge on vital aspects of the subject has been transformed and enlarged. (12 Dec 1998) |
| minibrain kinase | <enzyme> A cell type-specific kinase expressed and required in distinct neuroblast proliferation centres during postembryonic neurogenesis in drosophila; shares extensive sequence similarities with kinases involved in the regulation of cell division; genbank x70794 Registry number: EC 2.7.10.- Synonym: minibrain gene product, mnb gene product (26 Jun 1999) |